


This Is How I'm Supposed To Be

by keenwonderlandcollector



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst, F/M, M/M, Smut, Starker, Starker High School AU, starker au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-28
Updated: 2020-09-03
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:55:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,450
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26165977
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/keenwonderlandcollector/pseuds/keenwonderlandcollector
Summary: Based loosely off the 'Jesus of Suburbia' music video by Green Day, Tony & Pepper are a dysfunctional punk couple, when a certain Peter Parker changes everything Tony thought he knew about the world.
Relationships: Pepper Potts/Tony Stark, Peter Parker/Tony Stark
Comments: 6
Kudos: 22





	1. One

**Author's Note:**

> So I was watching the 'Jesus of Suburbia' video the other day for the first time in about..13 years? (dear sweet lord I am old) and I just kept thinking that punk!Tony and very adorable, sweet, nerdy Peter would be incredibly fun to write. 
> 
> This is probably going to be a steaming pile on trashy nonsense, but you've come this far, so why not go a little further? (WOW that sounds creepy)
> 
> Enjoy! ❤️

“Remind me again why we’re going to this fucking thing?” Pepper sighed, drawing on her eyeliner as she sat at the mirror.

“To be, you know,” Tony murmured, sparking up a cigarette as he looked for his jeans. “social.”

“Whatever, beats hanging around here all night.” Pepper muttered, tousling her messy blonde hair.

“I’ll be downstairs.” Tony zipped up his jeans, grabbing a plain black shirt from the floor and throwing it on as he looked over at his girlfriend.

Heading into the small, dim kitchen, Tony found his mother, zipping up a pale grey hoodie over her dark blue nurse scrubs.

“Tony.” She nodded, watching as he made his way to the fridge, opening it and examining it’s bare contents before closing it again.

Pepper’s footsteps sounded down the stairs and Tony buttoned up his shirt, cigarette hanging from his lips.

“You’re ruining that poor girl's life.” Maria muttered, leaning against the beige counter.

Tony turned away from the fridge, eyeing his mother for a moment before taking a long drag on his cigarette. 

“Well,” He took the stick from between his lips, letting a cloud of smoke form. “you would know.”

“I’m serious, Tony. Dr. Potts is respectable and decent, as is Elizabeth. Look what you’ve done to their daughter.” Maria frowned, running a hand through her hair.

“Because everything is my fault.” Tony nodded slowly, his eyes rolling up to the ceiling before he went to leave the kitchen, stopping in the doorway as he did, turning back to his mother. “I’m not dad, you know. So stop making me pay for his mistakes.”

“ _Anthony_.” His mother sighed, moving to walk towards him.

“Let’s go.” He gave a quick look towards Pepper before heading out the front door and into his ‘67 Mustang.

-

Steve Rogers. Captain of the football team, model student, attractive, charming, friendly, all around good guy. He and Tony had been close friends once upon a time, back when Tony still played football and made an effort to have a life. Now they were just friendly enough that Tony could show up to the Rogers house on a Saturday night for a party without (much) comment. 

“I’m getting a drink.” He announced to Pepper as they arrived at the crowded house. Bodies had spilled out onto the manicured front lawn, and the music blaring from the house tumbled out.

“Fine.” She waved him off as she disappeared into the crowd, Tony making his way through the thrum of bodies and into the large granite haven that was the kitchen. 

He spotted Bucky in the corner, sitting on the counter by the sink, clad in his usual dark jeans and hoodie, surveying the room with a bored expression.

“Stark.”

“Barnes.”

With their usual greeting out of the way, Bucky produced a bottle of vodka and a plastic cup from behind him, filling it and passing it to Tony before repeating the process for himself. 

“There’s some cola on the island, grab it would you?” Bucky gestured towards the half empty bottle, taking a swig of the straight vodka.

“Pepper with you?” Bucky asked as Tony poured some cola into his cup before passing the bottle over.

“Yep.” Tony muttered, taking a long drink. “Where’s Rogers?”

“Living room, being the perfect host.” Bucky rolled his eyes, downing his drink before pouring another. 

Bucky had also played on the team, lasting one more season than Tony before quitting, ending his close friendship with Steve in the process.

-

“Yeah, I know what you mean.” Tony nodded, leaning his back against the wall as he waited for the bathroom to be free.

“At least someone does.” Bruce sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. 

“It’ll be fine. Well, it can’t be any worse.” Tony raised an eyebrow, turning to his friend.

“This is why I come to you with this stuff.” Bruce managed a half-smile, leaning against the wall beside Tony.

“Oh, sorry, I didn’t realise anyone was waiting.” Tony looked over as a figure emerged from the bathroom. His hair was a mess of brown curls, his honey-coloured eyes wide. Tony was vaguely sure he recognized him, looking at his ‘find x’ t-shirt that he definitely recognized.

“Hey, Bruce.” The boy smiled at the figure beside Tony, giving him a small wave.

“Peter, didn’t think I’d see you here.” Bruce raised an eyebrow as the petite boy in front of them blushed slightly.

“Well I wouldn’t normally, but MJ dragged me along. I better go find her, actually. It was nice to see you.” He gave them both a quick smile before heading off.

“Do I know him?” Tony frowned, watching Peter walk away for a moment before turning to Bruce, who was heading into the bathroom.

“He was in the regular physics class, until Miss Van Dyne came back to teach the AP version. Then again, it’s not like you were in the class much anyway.” Bruce shrugged.

“Thought I recognized him. Anyway, hurry up. I’m fucking bursting.”

-

“Pep, come on. Time to go.” Tony reached for his girlfriend’s hand, trying to get her up from the couch she was sprawled on, her hair falling into her face.

“No, ‘m staying here.” She muttered, batting his hand away.

“Come on, I’m not doing this all night.” Tony sighed, grabbing her hand and pulling her up.

“Fuck you.” She snapped, pulling her hand from his grip. Tony could feel eyes start to fall on them and was nowhere near drunk enough to deal with this.

“We’re leaving, now. Come on, you can’t stay here.” Tony lowered his voice, not wanting to have a full blown argument in Steve Roger’s living room.

“No.” She glared at him, challenging him.

“Fine. I’ll be in the car. If you’re not in it in two minutes I’m leaving without you.” He gripped her arm and held her in place, his eyes searching her bloodshot ones before letting her go, turning and walking away.

As he waited, the car radio playing in the background, Tony spotted Peter again. He was standing on the front lawn with none other than Steve Rogers, the two of them laughing about something. 

Before he could dwell on the sight, wondering what this nerdy kid and Steve had in common, the passenger door flung open and Pepper flopped down onto the seat, slamming the door closed.

“Let’s go.” She murmured, sliding down in the seat and looking out the window beside her.

“Fine.” Tony turned the radio up, gave one last look at Steve, who was whispering something to a laughing Peter, before pulling away from the house and driving into the night.


	2. Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes, Mondays aren't as bad as they seem to be..

Having spent the entirety of Sunday not venturing further than his bedroom, Tony reluctantly dragged himself out the front door on Monday morning, grabbing a slightly blackened banana from the plastic fruit bowl on the coffee table as he did.

“What a miraculous day this is,” Vice Principal Hill approached Tony as he dropped his bag by his locker. “Lovely to have you with us again, Anthony. Perhaps we’ll have the privilege of _two_ days in your presence this week?”

“Maybe.” Tony sighed, opening his locker and staring into the void.

“I’ll keep my fingers crossed.” Ms. Hill gave him a quick pat on the back before heading down the hallway, her heels clicking on the vinyl.

It was lunchtime before he saw Pepper, and it seemed that after the previous night’s usual mix of sex, arguing and getting high (not always in that order), she wasn’t keen on talking to him, shooting him a glare as she and Natasha carried their trays over to an empty table. Nat had given him a quick smile, and he nodded in acknowledgment before heading to sit with Bruce, Bucky and Clint at their usual table in the corner of the cafeteria. It was quiet, inconspicuous and gave an overview of the rest of their so-called peers.

“So,” Tony tossed the banana onto the table, unenthused by it. “can I assume you’re all having as joyous a day as I am?” 

“Just peachy.” Clint sat back in his chair, picking at the sandwich in front of him.

“Mm.” Bruce nodded, head resting on his hand as his eyes fell on the table occupied by a disgruntled blonde and her patient redheaded friend.

Bucky didn’t respond, a frown on his features as he watched Steve carry his tray over to the large table in the middle of the room, laughing with his friend Sam. 

“Good to know.” Tony followed Bucky’s gaze, but soon found himself watching Peter Parker and his friend Ned walk into the cafeteria, the two of them looking serious as they talked. Peter caught Tony’s eye and Tony looked away quickly, unsure why he’d been staring anyway.

After forcing himself to eat a few bites of the banana, lest he suffer from irritating stomach rumblings throughout the afternoon, Tony left his friends to have a smoke outside. He’d felt Pepper glaring at him as he left the cafeteria, deciding to let her stew a little while longer. 

-

The afternoon passed by slowly, all the classes seeming to merge into one. Tony often felt that he could turn up at his classes once a month and still get an A. He was a classic case of ‘lazy genius’, or as his teachers would insist (when he bothered to show up) ‘Apply yourself, Anthony. You have so much potential, you do realise that?’

During Spanish, when Tony wasn’t busy trying to figure out if there was a new teacher or he just hadn’t shown up in a while, Nat had helpfully informed him that Pepper was ‘ _being Pepper_ ’. (Tony suspected that Natasha, who came from the rough part of town and had to work most nights after school as a waitress at the local Chinese restaurant as well as tutoring Russian, sometimes resented Pepper, who for all her efforts at playing the ‘angsty, grungy teen’ ultimately came from a wealthy family, and went home to her big house and doting parents every night).

As Tony and Nat whispered at the back of the room, Tony’s eyes fell on Steve and Peter at the front of the class. They were sat on opposite sides of the room, Steve sitting next to Wanda Maximoff, one the cheerleaders Tony actually found tolerable (they’d gotten high together at a party a few months back, nodding at each other in the hallway since) and Peter sitting next to Ned. Yet, Tony observed, they kept looking over at each other and smiling.

What could they possibly have in common? Tony remembered them at Steve’s party, though that had still seemed friendly, more than anything. Tony didn’t really know Peter, but from what he did know it didn’t seem likely that he and Steve would be friends.

Then again, Tony had Steve had been friends once, best friends, so what did he know?

-

When the final bell sounded, Tony was in no great rush to get home. Aside from their geography class, during which she’d completely ignored him, Tony hadn’t seen Pepper all afternoon. Being at the school for a full day for the first time in a while, Tony realised how few classes he and Pepper actually had together. He’d noticed Peter in at least four of them. Kid seemed to be everywhere Tony looked that day.

He waited by his locker for a few extra minutes in case Pepper decided to show up and demand a ride home, and when she didn’t, he and Bucky made their way down to the bleachers, sitting down and watching as the football team jogged out onto the field.

“Ah, Mr. Stark, Mr. Barnes.” Coach Rhodes approached them, tapping his pen against the clipboard in his hand. “Is today the day you’re going to tell me you’ve both decided to get up off your asses and join my team again?” 

“Afraid not.” Tony pushed down the swirl of guilt that formed in his stomach. He knew Coach Rhodes meant well, but football was his past. 

“You know where my office is if you change your mind.” The older man gave them both a stern yet caring look before turning back to his current players, clapping his hands together and barking out orders.

“Didn’t know they were training today, too.” Bucky spoke through the cigarette in between his lips, searching his jeans for a lighter as Tony took a cigarette from the pack. 

“Who?” Tony asked, fishing his own lighter from his pocket and lighting up before passing it to Bucky, who gestured towards the athletic track that circled the football training field.

For what felt like the millionth time that day, Tony’s eyes fell on Peter. He was dressed in the school’s track team uniform, a white t-shirt with the red panther emblazoned on it, and red shorts that, Tony couldn’t help but observe, were quite..short. He was talking to MJ, who Tony recognized from his calculus class. She never said much, if anything in class, though Tony had admired her from afar for a while (since the day they had a substitute teacher who was more interested in _Cosmo_ than calculus, and let them use the class to study. MJ had spent the time drawing, while Tony elected to gaze out the window and daydream about being elsewhere. At the end of the class MJ had given Tony a sketch of him, looking appropriately fed up. He’d taken it home, deeming it worthy of fate better than being abandoned in the black hole that was his locker). 

“Guess they are.” Tony muttered, shifting slightly in his seat. 

As they talked, Tony noticed Steve jogging over to Peter, the other boy waving at him. Tony was sure Bucky was watching this scene unfold too, the two of them continuing their conversation seamlessly as they watched.

“Tony?” A distinctly female voice sounded in his ear.

“Mm?” He kept his gaze on Steve and Peter, wondering if Peter was always so.. _giggly_ , or if that was just an effect Steve had on him. 

“ **Tony**.” Pepper’s hand smacked his arm and he turned his attention to her, a bored expression sweeping over his features.

“What?” He asked, not feeling particularly enthused by the conversation. 

“I’m going to Alison’s, so I won’t be coming over tonight.” She announced, folding her arms and giving Tony a look that suggested he should care, but he couldn’t muster up the energy.

“Okay.” He nodded, turning his attention back to the field, taking a drag on his cigarette. The football team was going through their warm-up, and Tony wondered why he ever bothered with it. His gaze fell to the track, where the team were a blur of legs, and looked away again, uninterested. 

“Fuck you, Tony.” Pepper muttered, under her breath but still loud enough for Tony to hear it. He waited a moment for her to leave, flicking his cigarette away and standing up. With one last glance out to the field in front of him, he shook his head, walking away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tony Stark maybe, possibly, could be, interested in Peter Parker? 
> 
> Groundbreaking.
> 
> I must say I'm very much enjoying High School Starker, hopefully I'm not butchering it too much!
> 
> If you enjoyed this chapter feel free to let me know, while you won't recieve any physical reward, I can promise that I will walk around with a rictus grin on my face and treasure you endlessly in my heart ❤️


	3. THREE

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things are back to the status quo, but maybe not for long..

By the time Thursday afternoon came around, Pepper had deemed that an appropriate amount of time had passed, and had begun to talk to Tony again. He’d actually enjoyed the silence, for the brief period it had lasted. They went back to Tony’s after school, and Tony found that he missed his usual after school hangout with Bucky down by the football field. 

“I’m starving, can you get me something to eat?” Pepper asked, looking up from her English Lit homework. She was curled up on the couch while Tony sat on the floor,  calculus homework laying on the coffee table in front of him.

“Hang on.” Tony sighed, getting up and heading into the kitchen. There was a note taped to the fridge, two wrinkled $10 pinned to it.

_ Tony, didn’t have time to get groceries, get yourself a pizza or something. _

_ See you later, _

_ Mom xx _

“Pizza alright?” Tony asked, coming back to the living room with the money tucked into his jeans.

“Fine,” Pepper waved a hand, not looking up from what she was writing. “whatever.”

-

“I’m thinking about getting a job.” Tony murmured, lounging on his bed, cigarette in hand, barely paying attention to the small TV that was playing across the room.

“ _Why_?” Pepper frowned, laying beside him and checking her nails. 

“Money. I don’t plan on sticking around town after graduation.” Tony sighed, taking a drag on his cigarette, watching the tendrils swirl around the air and disappear.

He didn’t have any specific plan for what he wanted to do in life, maybe move to New York. His uncle lived there, and would probably put him up for a while. Jarvis had always been good to him, especially after Howard had walked out on them all those years ago. Back when Tony had grand ambitions about MIT, or NYU, doing something meaningful with his life. But things change, and you have to roll with them. Tony learned that a long time ago.

“Can’t you just, I don’t know,” Pepper sighed, picking at a thread on her jeans. “get your parents to give you money if you need it?”

It was times like this that made Tony wonder why he was with Pepper, there was so much about her he didn’t like, things that he would hate in anyone else. Maybe he hated them in her too, but couldn’t, or wouldn’t admit it. 

Then she stood up. peeled away her black and white striped t-shirt and designer ripped jeans, and Tony realised. He wanted to enjoy Rome before he burned it down.

-

Friday seemed to last forever, each class neverending. By the time Tony was sitting at their usual table in the cafeteria, he was ready to call it a day.

“I know,” Natasha sighed, handing Tony a stick of gum that would be a nice addition to the bruised apple and cheap generic cola he’d had for lunch. “but it’s easier said than done.”

“You’ll be okay though,” Tony gave her a reassuring smile as he popped the gum into his mouth. “one day isn’t gonna make that much difference.”

“I guess so.” Nat smiled, not looking utterly convinced.

“What did I miss?” Bruce asked, sitting down beside Bucky and taking a thinly wrapped sandwich from his bag.

“Nothing much,” Nat shrugged, and gave Tony a look. “how was decathlon practice?”

“Good, yeah.” Bruce nodded, unwrapping the sandwich. “I’m still getting used to being the captain, it’s a little strange.”

“You deserve it.” Nat grinned, causing Bruce to smile softly, the two of them looking at each other for a moment before Bucky cleared his throat.

“Smoke, Stark?”

“Yeah, let’s leave these two lovebirds to it.” Tony teased, nudging Nat before getting up and heading towards the doors with Bucky. As they made their way through the tables they passed MJ, who gave them a solemn nod they returned in kind. Tony glanced back to see Peter and Ned waiting for her at a table, smiling as she approached.

“Light?” Bucky asked, holding his hand out.

“Please.” Tony raised an eyebrow, taking the blue plastic lighter from his pocket and handing it to his friend.

“You and Pepper back on track then?” Bucky asked, lighting up before handing the lighter back.

“Seems that way,” Tony nodded, lighting up his own cigarette.

“Happy about it?” Bucky raised an eyebrow, blowing the smoke into the air.

“Mm.” Tony took a long drag, watching as various students walked by, all of them forming into a giant blur. 

“I get you.” Bucky sighed, flicking the end of his cigarette away.

-

“Alright everyone, before you sit down please check your new seating assignments. Your names are marked on the desks. I’ll be back in a minute, I expect you all to be sitting quietly by then. Don’t let me down.” Miss Danvers announced as they filed into the classroom, pointing to the various desks as she left the room.

Following the shuffle of bodies and scraping of chairs, Tony found himself sitting beside the window, two desks back from the front,  _ ‘Anthony Stark’  _ written on a piece of folded card sitting in front of him. Beside him, sat Peter Parker. 

Tony found himself admiring his deskmate’s ‘Pi Pizza’ t-shirt, albeit less subtly than he’d hoped.

“It’s pretty cool right?” Peter smiled, catching Tony’s eye. “I mean, maybe not, but it was only five bucks from Goodwill so..” The other boy looked a little embarrassed, focusing his attention back to his notebook.

“I like it, it’s different.” Tony shrugged nonchalantly, wondering if the flush that spread across Peter’s face was still from embarrassment.

Halfway through the class, Miss Danvers left them alone again, a board full of questions to be completed during the class. Once the door shut behind her, a flurry of chatter sparked throughout the room. Tony and Peter stayed quiet for a moment, completing the work set to them.

“So,” Peter spoke first, setting his pen down and turning to Tony. “I hope you’re okay with us sitting together, I know we don’t really know each other that well..”

“I don’t mind, it’s just a class right?” Tony shrugged, not meeting the other boy’s eyes.

“Oh, yeah, I suppose so.” Peter’s soft tone set a weird knot forming in Tony’s stomach. He never cared about seating arrangements, and would have responded the way he had to anyone, so why did he feel guilty now?

“But hey, it could be worse,” Tony turned to Peter, feeling the need to salvage the situation. “I could be sitting next to Groot. At least I can concentrate next to you.” 

“That’s fair,” Peter smiled softly and Tony felt the knot in his stomach slowly unfurl. “I had to sit next to him a few months back and my aunt was convinced I’d turned into a full-blown pothead, my clothes were all ruined with the smell.”

“See the weed smell I can deal with,” Tony glanced back at their classmate, a lanky, curly headed boy whose nickname had been bestowed upon him so long ago that nobody could really remember his real name. Even the teachers just called him Groot. Tony didn’t actually mind him, he supplied good weed and was always dispensing sage advice. “it’s when he starts with the whole ‘what even  _ is _ a seven?’ business.”

“Oh my god,” Peter groaned, a smile forming on his face. “I know exactly what you mean. ‘What makes seven _better_ than six? They’re just _numbers_ , man.’”

Tony laughed, looking back at the boy sitting next to him, a grin lighting up his face. They chatted casually until Miss Danvers returned, and Tony was pleasantly surprised at how smart, funny and..well, Tony appreciated having him as a deskmate.

“Okay, that’s it for today. Make sure you have the homework assignment down, and I’ll see you on Monday.” Miss Danvers turned back from the board, resting her hands on her desk.

“Here, this is yours I think.” Peter smiled, handing Tony his maths book, which he accepted with a nod.

“Great, thanks.” Tony slipped it into his bag and zipped it up.

“So I guess I’ll see you on Monday then.” Peter stood up, pushing in his chair and slinging his bag over his shoulder.

“Yeah,” Tony stood up, pushing in his own chair. “I’ll see you then.” He watched as Peter headed over to MJ, who was talking to her own deskmate, Wanda, and Monday seemed like a thousand years away.

“Hey,” Natasha approached him, dragging his attention away. “I managed to get a night off, so we’re gonna go over to Clint’s tonight and hang out. Bring Pepper, if you want.” 

“Sounds good,” Tony smiled, watching as Peter and MJ headed out of the classroom, whispering about something. “what time?”

“Let’s say..seven-ish,” Nat glanced at the door and looked back at Tony with a curious smile. “unless you have other plans of course.”

“Nah,” Tony looked back at the redhead, raising an eyebrow. “seven sounds good.”

-

Tony hadn’t mentioned going over to Clint’s to Pepper, not for any particular reason he just..hadn’t bothered to. He knew she’d probably be over at his place again tomorrow and there’d probably be some party they turned up so it wasn’t like they wouldn’t see each other.

He lay on his bed, flicking through the various TV channels in the vain hope of finding something to captivate his interest. Beside him his phone buzzed, and he dropped the remote onto the bed, grabbing the phone instead.

_**[18:02] Hi! This is Peter, I hope you don't mind but I asked Bruce for your number. I think we took each other's math books in class today? Well I don't know if you have mine maybe I left it at school but I have yours, in case you were looking for it?** _

_**[18:03] Parker, by the way, Peter Parker** _

Tony had been oblivious to any accidental theft, his bag laying abandoned by his bedroom door. After reading the text once more, he left his phone on the nightstand and got up to search for the incriminating article. Finding a very clean math book with Peter's name neatly written on the inside cover, Tony put it back in his bag before heading back to the bed, flopping down and grabbing his phone.

_**[18:06] Yeah, I have yours here. Sorry about that.** _

_**[18:09] That's OK, I'm just glad I didn't lose it 😅 I guess we can just use each other tonight and then give them back on Monday?** _

_**[18:10] Use each other's books, I meant! 😂** _

_**[18:11] That's too b|** _

_**[18:12] Sure, yeah. See you then.** _

Tony left his phone on the nightstand, ignoring the message that came in from Pepper as he did.

Though he had initially decided not to bother looking at any homework, he felt a strange sense of duty to use Peter's book while he had it, and at the very least it would kill some time before he went over to Clint’s house.

Grabbing the book from his bag, he placed it on his desk and dug out a notebook. As he opened the math book and began looking for the right page, he raised an eyebrow at the multitude of brightly coloured sticky notes that adorned the pages, with notes such as  _ 'Homework 09-19 Q. 10-20' an _ d  _ 'Test on this on Thursday - too easy!' _ scribbled on them.

Tony wasn't sure if it was incredibly OCD or incredibly cute, deciding not to dwell on the matter as he started the homework assignment, which, he couldn’t help noticing, was helpfully marked out on a bright red note.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So it turns out that Tony Stark may just have a teeny little crush on Peter Parker. Revelatory I know, so bear with me. This story is pretty different to anything I’ve ever written before so I’m getting a feel for it as I go, hopefully not to its detriment! If you enjoyed feel free to let me know, feedback is the world’s greatest inspiration (aside from two loveable idiots I can’t stop writing about) so go for it! ❤️


End file.
